Virtually successful

A last work-related post today (see, they're really popping up this time!). One of the articles in the last post mentions virtual assistants. And one of my favourite bloggers has tested out a few with results here.

Truthfully, I've never even considered getting a virtual assistant. I'm too much of a control freak - I like to know what's going on in my life and manage it personally. Of course I've never had to head up the management of others, nor anything that requires more than 3 people working on it at once (other than brief mentoring/supervision stints for other people). I do know there's a lot of paperwork I have difficulty getting to - put aside time for it, and that ends up being hijacked for something else. I'm also a bit wary about spreading personal and confidential info around - I like to keep my details to myself.

But I guess there's a place for the virtual assistant. It's a bit like when we lived in Zimbabwe and had a live-in gardener / cook / house-boy/girl. Or in current times when you get the maid in a couple times a week (a luxury I as moved-out-of-parents-house chick have not yet invested in). You assign tasks that you either don't want to do or simply don't have time to do, and spend your energy on other things.

Perhaps the day will come when I'll need an assistant. Hired help (though I'm also funny about giving money to someone to do something I can do myself! See Land Rover Fixing....) or a go-fer. Perhaps my plans will expand to the point where I can't do everything myself - and I'll need to decide how much I can entrust to others.

Until then though I'm my own cook, cleaner and bottle-washer (with occasional help from the males in the family). I'm my own admin assistant, manual labourer and supervisor. I'm the boss and the servant - all rolled into one.

But I'm curious to know: would you hire a virtual assistant?